Automatic cigarette box

ABSTRACT

A CNTAINER FOR DISPENSING CIGARETTES AND CIGARS OR THE LIKE THIS DEVCE INCLUDES APIVOTABLE COVER WHICH WHEN PRESSED DOWNWARDS WILL ROTATE A CRCESSED ROLLER WHICH WILL CARRY A SINGLE CIGARETTE INTO A PASSAGEWAY OF THE CONTAINER WHEREUPON BY GRAVITY THE CIGARETTE WILL ROLLDOWN INTO A TRAY. THE ROLLER OF THE DEVICE IS ATTACHED TO A SPRING WHICH WILL RETURN ROLLER TO ITS NORMAL CIGARETTE PICKUP POSITION SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE COVER THAT WAS DEPRESSED TO DISPENSE ONE CIGARETTE

United States Patent [72] Inventor Biagio Oriti 1,008,867 11/1911 Shee..... 221/202X 11603 Fordham Road, Garfield Heights, 1,620,914 3/1927 Parker.. 221/203X Ohio 44125 1,657,694 1/1928 Parker 22l/200X [21] Appl. No. 874,154 2,072,923 3/1937 Schutsch et a1 22l/202X 5253 3k Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant ExaminerEdwin D. Grant [54] AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE BOX 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

A ontainer for dispensing cigarettes and cigars 221/249 or the like. This device includes a pivotable cover which when ll!!- pressed downward rotate a recessed roller [50] Field of Search 221/200, carry a Single cigarette into a passageway f h container 202, 203, 204, 205. 248, 2 277 whereupon by gravity the cigarette will roll down into a tray. The roller of the device is attached to a spring which will [56] References c'ted return the roller to its normal cigarette pickup position simul- UNITED STATES PATENTS taneously with the cover that was depressed to dispense one 240,918 5/1881 Mead 221/203 cigarette.

&/fl J Z5 /*:f g 0 5 i 27 41 Z r /5 f mmmm 1 N VENTOR. B/Ac/o ORITI AUTOMATEC (ZRGARETTE BOX This invention relates to dispensers, and more particularly to an automatic cigarette dispenser.

it is therefore the main purpose of this invention to provide an automatic cigarette box which will be decorative in appearance and will dispense one cigarette at a time by urging down upon the cover of the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cigarette box which will have a roller with a recessed groove which will receive one cigarette at a time and the roller is rotated by rod means directly beneath the cover which when urged downward by the cover will dispense one cigarette into a tray.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette box of the described type which will have spring return means for the roller and will have a pair of cams projecting from the roller which will urge the remaining cigarettes within the box upward in order that they will not interfere with the operation of the roller.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette box in which the roller has a cutout portion which serves as stop means for the roller when it strikes a stop pin in order that the roller will position itself with the recessed groove upwards in proper position to receive a single cigarette for the next cycle of operation.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an automatic cigarette box which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the present invention shown partly broken away;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the device showing one cigarette being dispensed therefrom.

According to this invention, an automatic cigarette box shown to include a hollow rectangularly configurated and decorative body 11 having a plurality of spaced apart legs 12 secured fixedly to the bottom wall 13 in order to support box 10 upon a table or other surface.

Bottom wall 13 is provided with an elongated opening 14 through which passes, one at a time, a cigarette 15 which falls into tray 16 in a manner which hereinafter will be described. On the interior of body 11 is positioned a sloping wall 17 which is supported by a pair of parallel spaced apart rails 18. Wall 17 is tangent with a roller 19 and provides support means for a plurality of cigarettes 15.

Roller 19 has on its each end a projecting pin 20 which is rotatably carried within end walls 21 allowing for freedom of rotation of roller 19. Roller 19 is also provided with a recessed groove 22 which will accept one cigarette 15 for dispensing the same.

A slot 23 through roller 19 freely receives a pivotable rod 24 which is offset of the longitudinal axis of roller 19 allowing for the freedom of rotation thereof. Rod 24 is hinged by means of a pin 25 within slot 23 for a purpose which hereinafter will be described.

A transparent inner cover 26 is provided with a hinge 27 within the rear of body 11 and the forward edge rests upon ledge 28. Transparent inner cover 26 and hinge 27 can be eliminated. Cover 29 can also be transparent. Cover 29 which aids in the operation of box 10 includes a pair of projecting pins 30, one on each end of cover 29 allowing cover 29 to be urged downward against the upper extremity of rod 24. When rod 24 is urged downward by means of cover 29, roller 19 having a cigarette 15 within the recessed groove 22 is rotated towards the front of body 11 and cigarette is picked up by roller 19 is released by gravity means into opening 14 whereupon it rolls into tray 16 in order that it may be picked up by the user.

Return means for roller 19 is provided for by an elongated coil spring 31 which is secured in a suitable manner at one end to the rear wall 32 of body 11 and the opposite end of spring 31 is secured within a cutout slot 33 of roller 19.

A cutout slot (not shown) on the same end of roller 19 receiving spring 31 provides for position stop means when striking a stop pin M projecting from front wall 35 of body 11. This stop pin 34 and its associated slot of roller 19 serves to prevent roller 19 from being rotated too far rearwards by spring 31 in order that the recessed groove 22 will be in alignment for the receiving of another cigarette 15 for the next cycle of operation.

It shall be noted that a pair of parallel spaced apart and vertical divider walls 36 are positioned within body 11 and define a cigarette compartment 37 which aids in the alignment of the plurality of cigarettes 15 in order that they may be properly dispensed from box 10.

It shall further be noted that roller 19 is provided with a pair of spaced apart cams 38, cams 38 projecting from roller 19 and in alignment with each other are free to slide within openings 39 at the forward edge of the sloping wall 17, cams 38 when roller 19 is rotated causes the plurality of cigarettes 15 within compartment 37 to be lifted upwards in order to prevent interference with the operation of the roller 19 when it functions to deliver a cigarette into tray 16.

It shall further be noted that when pressure is released from cover 29 by the user, spring 31 while returning roller 19 to its normal position, will simultaneously urge rod 24 upwards, thus lifting cover 29 to its normal flush position with the upper extremity of box 10.

lclaim:

1. An automatic cigarette box comprising a decorative hollow body, a grooved roller carried within said body providing acceptance of a single cigarette to be dispensed therefrom, an inclined wall carried within said body providing gravitational means for urging cigarettes forward within a compartment of said body, a pivotable cover with an actuating rod carried by said body providing a means of manually dispensing a single cigarette at a time, cam means carried by said device for providing jamproof means for dispensing a single cigarette at one time with tray means for supporting the dispensed cigarette, spring means for returning said roller to its normal position and stop pin means for properly positioning said roller for receiving a cigarette.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said roller lies parallel with said cigarettes, said cigarettes being on top of said inclined wall carried on the interior of said body of said box and said roller is provided with a recessed groove for accepting a single cigarette which is gravity fed to said groove of said roller by said inclined wall and when said cover of said body of said box is urged downwards by the user along its forward edge it pivots upon pins secured within the upper extremity of said box and said rod of said device is urged downward and rotates said roller, and when said roller is rotated the recessed groove of said roller rotates to align with a passage, said passage allowing said cigarette within said groove to be dumped by gravity means into said tray of said box.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein return means for said roller to its normal position is accomplished by said spring, one end of said spring being secured to the rear interior of said box and the other end of said spring being secured to said roller and a projecting stop pin in said box prevents said roller from over throwing its grooved portion by said stop projection abutting with a cutout surface within said roller.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said pair of parallel spaced apart and aligned cams extending from said roller are free to ride within grooves of said inclined wall and when said rolleris rotated said cams serve to lift said cigarettes upward and away from the area of said groove carrying a single cigarette within said roller and thus prevents a jamming of said cigarettes and a transparent cover plate secured by hinge means above said inclined plate carrying said cigarettes and the forward edge of said transparent cover rests upon a ledge cut into the upper portion of the forward end of said box.

cigarette in another cycle of operation and said rod when urged upwards by means of said spring is constantly in abutment with the underside of said cover and thus pivots said cover upwards to its flush position with the upper extremity of said box until another cycle of operation is effected. 

